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I remember pestering my parents endlessly for a pony until they finally caved and let me get my first pony Paddy at the age of 10. The deal was I had to look after him myself and from Paddy to my last horse Cotton, I’ve always put in the hours. Horses were my hobby, sport and life. I evented and competed in dressage at affiliated level and competitive riding was something I had always enjoyed. Having an aim and goal to work towards made the long hours with the horses worthwhile. 

The Stigma Associated with Equestrian Careers 

I could write a list as long as my arm on the uneducated comments I’ve heard and received in the years I’ve been working with and studying horses. Horses are my passion, hobby and career and I’m proud to work in the equine industry, if you’ve ever heard any of the below comments then this blog is for you!

Harry Hall spoke to World Horse Welfare Nick White about his role as a Field Officer for the charity:

I have been a field officer for eleven years, prior to that I did over thirty years in the Metropolitan police as a mounted officer, competitor, public order and equitation instructor, I also formed and ran the Equine crime unit. My job as a World Horse Welfare Field Officer involves investigating welfare concerns reported mainly through our welfare line and to check on World Horse Welfare horses rehomed through the Rehoming Scheme. I cover six counties including London and in addition to my daily duties I advise others, including the police, on matters such as straying horses on the road and the Control of Horses Act 2015. On a daily basis I investigate allegations of equine suffering and try to resolve instances of suffering by offering realistic solutions and advice to horse owners. In deliberate or repeated cases of neglect or cruelty I will work with other organisations to undertake a prosecution, this is usually as a last resort.

Harry Hall sponsored rider Emma Woolley describes how she’s re-thought some aspects of her horses’ training, and found a routine that keeps them happy in the heat 

Your chance to win a lesson with showing legend Robert Walker at his yard in Cheshire. 

We're giving one lucky winner the chance to win a riding lesson with showing legend Robert Walker, the lesson can focus on a topic of your choice from show turn out to ring craft. You must be able to travel to his base in Cheshire and bring your own horse to ride.

Harry Hall Ambassador Liz Langford competes in showing and dressage around a busy career. We caught up with her to find out how she balances work, life and riding!

Before I crack on, let me introduce myself, I’m Liz, am a farmer’s daughter from Herefordshire. I’ve been riding for over 40 years, having started when I was three. I guess you would class me as a keen amateur rider which is funded through my job as Equestrian Property Consultant at an Fox Grant Estate Agents. 

Wow, there can be no doubt that the summer of 2018 has been a hot one, with some areas across the UK seeing no rain fall for up to 55 days and with the highest recorded temperature (according to the Met office) peaking so far to 38.5 degrees. Following on from our recent blog about travelling in the heat we’re going to focus on the problem at the forefront of every horse owners mind – how to deal with the hard ground. Equine expert Sandie Chambers gives us her thoughts below:

 A Benefit of the Harry Hall One Club - Why Public Liability Insurance for horse riders is a must have.

Harry Hall One Club membership gives horse riders and owners 30% discount all year on well-known equestrian brands Harry Hall, Masta, Tottie, Caldene, Woof Masta and Cottage Craft. Additional benefits of joining the Harry Hall One Club include £10million public liability insurance, £10,000 personal accident insurance and free delivery all year with no minimum spend. Once a month we also give members of The Harry Hall One Club the chance to win back the value of their shopping basket.

 10 Nuggets we learnt from a recent yard visit to World Horse Welfare

Claire Dickie, the Manager at World Horse Welfare’s Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming centre in Somerset gave 24 Harry Hall guests a terrific insight into the work they do. Here are some of the things we learnt in an insightful 3 hours:

 Travelling safely with your horse during the hot summer months.

Regardless of fitness levels, careful planning is required for horses that are travelling during hot and humid conditions. Equines need a degree of acclimatization to help mitigate the impact of heat during transportation and during competition. We asked Sandie Chambers for 5 top tips for travelling safely in the heat:

Will Protechmasta overheat my horse?

All seasons have their challenges within the equine world, right? During the summer months, we are quite often faced with the dilemma of how to manage our horses in the heat. An excessive elevation in core body temperature in the equine can severely hinder performance capacity; it can also lead to heat stress if over rugged. Throw into the equation rug choices, for example, rugs that are designed to insulate when cold or to wick away moisture when hot and sweaty, then we have therapy rugs with the aim of improving circulation, reduce inflammation that will in turn enhance performance, speed up recovery from exercise and promote relaxation.

 Understanding the benefits of Protechmasta and FAR Infrared

For the first blog in our series with Equine Expert Sandie Chambers we want to explain the benefits of FAR Infrared and the Protechmasta range for your horse. 

An excellent circulatory system is essential to ensure good health and athletic performance from your horse. We’re going to take a look at how Protechmasta could help your horse and how FAR Infrared works.